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MADE IN AMERICA FASHION: PHILADELPHIA DESIGNER SARAH VAN AKEN REVOLUTIONIZES APPAREL INDUSTRY MODEL THROUGH LOCAL JOB CREATION, SUSTAINABLE TEXTILES, CARBON FOOTPRINT REDUCTION AND COMMUNITY IMPACT.
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PHILADELPHIA, PA---Sarah Van Aken, founder of SA VA, a vertically integrated ethical apparel brand based in Philadelphia, is transforming the contemporary fashion business model and supply chain through; Local Philadelphia apparel manufacturing jobs; Domestic, fair-trade and sustainable textile sourcing; Reduction of carbon footprint; Redefining customer relationships; and Community partnerships.
Miss Van Aken knows the importance of locally made. After manufacturing garments in a proprietary factory in Bangladesh until 2009, where "We used to ship garments and textiles all around the world, creating jobs in other places, shipping costs skyrocketed and we were having quality control issues. I just couldn't justify doing it this way anymore so I knew I had to scrap this whole fashion thing or turn the business in to one that did something good here in America" says Van Aken, she began to transform her business model. Van Aken envisioned a new type of apparel company that would consider all aspects of social sustainability including: How and by whom garments are made; What they are made with; Carbon footprint reduction; Considered design; And community impact. In June 2009, with financing help from the Philadelphia Industrial Development Corporation, Van Aken opened a Philadelphia garment factory and retail store for the SA VA brand. Through a grant from the Philadelphia Workforce Development Corporation, SA VA was able to train and hire Philadelphia workers to manufacture all of their apparel. The company committed to creating 20 full-time jobs and has already reached 14 of those in the first two years.
With the focus of the innovative business model mirroring the Slow Food Movement in its "Think Local First" approach, SA VA designs, develops and manufactures all of its garments in its own Philadelphia garment factory. "With our vertical business model, owning our own factory we can create local living wage manufacturing jobs, provide access to health insurance for employees and reduce our carbon footprint in half from our previous business model" says Van Aken. Other benefits include low waste design and production. The company sources as many textiles domestically as available and ensures that the rest are fair-trade and if possible, sustainable, organic or recycled. The company's commitment to sustainability goes beyond sensible sourcing and can be seen in the SA VA retail store located at 1700 Sansom Street in Philadelphia, where you will find recycled paper hangers, compostable shopping tags, reclaimed fixtures and reusable shopping bags. In 2010 SA VA became a Certified B Corporation, aligning itself with companies possessing true social missions rather than good green marketing plans.
SA VA and its Founder believe strongly in community building and considered design. The brand, the store and its employees strive to redefine the retail-consumer relationship and see themselves more like concierges for the City. "Every customer is welcomed in to our store as if they are coming in to our home. We aren't striving for existential fashion, we like to design in to the lives of our customers." says Miss Van Aken. SA VA expands their dedication to the community by forging relationships with organization that help women transition back in to the work force, such as the Career Wardrobe and the People's Emergency Center, through food, fund and clothing drives.
Though jobs, sustainability and positive impact on the community are important, SA VA is still first and foremost a fashion brand. The brand creates high quality, mid priced and fashion forward ready-to-wear apparel based on the philosophy of effortless, individual style. SA VA is a lifestyle brand catering to 30-65 year old urban professional women and offers a mix of classic and trend pieces that can be worn at the office, to an event or on a casual weekend day. "If our clothing wasn't stylish, didn't look great on a hanger, fit well, or wasn't priced right, it wouldn't matter if it was sustainable" says Sarah.
The company is continuing to grow through a recently launched online store at www.savafashion.com and a wholesale line launching in spring 2012. The expansion should create several more jobs at SA VA over the coming year and further strengthen the company's mission. "We believe in the craft of the industry where the people who make clothing and accessories are artisans, restoring these jobs to a noble profession. I see a vision of the industry where there is a global network of local, sustainable apparel economies and where the culture of a community defines what process of the supply chain that community excels at and supplies to the world."
SA VA has won several awards this year including: Apparel Magazine's 'Top Innovator Award' for its innovative business model; Women's Opportunity Resource Center's 'Community Impact Award'; and The Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce's 'Young Entrepreneur of the Year 2012.'
SA VA is a division of S.V.A. Holdings Corporation, a vertically integrated private label apparel business located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The company is comprised of four private apparel brands; Van Aken custom shirts, Van Aken Signature custom hospitality uniforms, VA Private Label garment manufacturing services and SA VA women's ready-to-wear. Each of the companies brands integrates, high design aesthetic & quality construction with socially consciousness business practices and community building through; local job creation, sustainable & recycled raw materials, community partnerships and garments produced in our Philadelphia Garment Center.
S.V.A. Holdings Corporation is committed to being the most socially sustainable apparel company in the United States. We achieve this through our comprehensive approach to social consciousness beginning with local living wage job creation, local garment manufacturing, use of recycled and recyclable materials, fair-trade textiles, strategic community partnerships, customer involvement in the design process, business policy transparency and expanding through an increased use of sustainable and organic raw materials.
